Sugar Cookie Alfajores

24 December 2011

My game plan for baking atEl Rancho yesterday was to make the easiest cookies I knew how...Sugar Cookies and my Mexican Chocolate Chunk Cookies. But as I was gathering all of the ingredients from my kitchen, I spied an unopened jar of cajeta sitting on top of my fridge. Suddenly I was reminded of the gorgeous Alfajores de Maicena I featured in yesterday's Christmas Cookie Round-Upand thought they'd make for the perfect treat to serve at our pre-Christmas Eve family gathering. So I grabbed the jar of cajeta and my container of shredded coconut and threw them into the box of ingredients I was taking to the ranch. You know, just in case.

As I was preparing the sugar cookie dough, I couldn't get the Alfajores out of my head. So, as soon as the cookies came out of the oven, I topped them with a little cajeta and they disappeared before I could even taste one. (But at least I was able to snap a few pics.)

My kiddies liked them so much, they want me to bake another batch tonight for Santa Claus. I think Mr. and Mrs. Claus will both be very happy with these Sugar Cookie Alfajores.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cream together the butter and sugar with a wire whisk or electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, until completely combined. Stir in the vanilla. Gradually add the flour, one cup at a time, mixing well until blended.

Wrap the cookie dough in plastic and refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours. (This step is completely optional. I didn't refrigerate the dough and the cookies turned out perfect.)

Shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet about 2-inches apart. (The kiddies can help with this part.) Flatten the cookies with the tips of your fingers or the bottom of a glass dipped in flour to prevent sticking.

Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack for one minute. Turn cookies over. Spoon 1 teaspoon of cajeta onto the flat side of one cookie and top with another cookie, forming a sandwich. Press the cookies together gently so that a little cajeta oozes out the sides. Using your index finger, spread the cajeta along the sides. Dip sides in shredded coconut.

These sound great...and I think I'd probably actually like the sugar cookie dough better (something that's not-quite-my-favorite about the taste of the alfajore cookie). And the roll in coconut is just perfect!